Ain't gonna forget
by biankies
Summary: A little tribute to the Newsboy strike! 20July- 2nd August 1899. A newsie dwells on him memories of the strike. As always the summary sucks but I hope you like the story.


**Hey fellow Newsie lovers! Today is kinda a big day isn't it. I am so hyper and no one can understand why, I already explained it to one person and she seemed interested but I can see she didn't fully understand the excitement I am feeling. Its kinda depressing but at least I have you wonderful people to share the excitement with me. BIG shout out to Anjion! My fellow writer and Newsie fan. I hope you have a great day...**

 **I own the plot and nothing else.**

How could time pass so fast?

That was the question I asked myself as I walked the familiar route I had walked daily for as long as I had been working. It had been years since I had done it but still, it was a Fresh in my memory as it had been all those years ago. Wake up, look for the most important thing in my life, get dressed, get to the wagon on time to get my breakfast and then go to the distribution centre. From there it was a while before they unlocked the doors an allowed us to buy the papes that was our lifeline and we'd be off to our spots.

My spot no longer existed, it had closed a while ago, but I still knew the best way to get there. I knew it by heart. Just like I knew where I was heading now. We did this once a year. Why wouldn't we. It was the most important to weeks of our young lives. I can hardly believe it now. We did it! We made it. I never thought we would.

I can hardly believe how it started. I got up tried to find my cigar but that annoying kid had it again! I got it back though. It was our morning routine after all. I would tell that it's my cigar and he would tell me to steal another before I took it back and swatted his smile of his face. No one was supposed to know that I actually enjoyed the exchange with the runt.

It all went south as soon as we got to the World building. They'd jacked up the prices and I couldn't afford that, not even if I went back to the Tracks and won big. This would put me back quite a bit. How could they do that?! I still can't see why they thought they could do that. Did ol' Joe really think we were going to just pay it and be happy about it?

That was when the new kid, Dave, started arguing with Jack and we left the distribution centre and it started! Jack called a Strike and we all agreed. There weren't no way that we were taking this! We wanted our fair shake! It was something that we never got but jackin' up the prices was the final straw and we showed him! We showed him good1 him and Hearst both! We got out Mugs in the papes after all!

It wasn't always easy and some of the boys scabbed pretty quick but we stood our ground even after they arrested Crutchie. That one arrest only riled us up more! The day after that we were nearly killed by a bunch of Goons that Weasel had hired to stop us. If it hadn't been for Spot and his boys we'd be dead! Then the rally happened and we were arrested. I got knocked out pretty quick but from what I heard it was a big deal!

The next day both scared me and showed me that people actually cared. We were about to be sent to the refuge when Denton came and paid our fines so we don't need to go to the refuge. The only bad thing tha day was that the day happened. Jack's big secret was out and even though it weren't no surprise to us it still got Dave rattled. After that Denton told us that no papa printed news on the Rally and that he was leaving.

The next day was even worse. Especially when Jack came out in his fancy clothes with papes in his hands! I was upset. He was our brother and he had abandoned us. We all but gave up hope then. We even left that day to do whatever would get our minds off of the bum. That was the only day I ever took Snipes to the tracks with me listening to Spot go on about the whole scab thing all the way to Brooklyn.

That next morning Les came bolting up the stairs so fast I was surprised her hadn't fallen on his way up and told us that Dave wanted us to meet him at the World so we went. After all he was still our leader even if Jack scabbed and Spot went back to Brooklyn with the promise to keep up the strike there.

When we finally got there Dave told us that Jack was back on our side and that ol' Joe had blackmailed him into scabbing. We accepted it but there was still a bit of anger let from the day before. Still we took his papes and handed it out. I even took one to Spot and he riled Brooklyn back up and joined us along with every working kid in all of New York. Joe had to take notice of that and he did! He made a deal with Jack an' Davey and WE WON!

That night we had a party at Medda's to celebrate the win and we have been going there every year since. I can hardly believe it had already been thirty years. Most of the City had already forgotten the Strike but we didn't. We couldn't.

"Hey, Race. Thought you weren't coming." Mush said in his usual hyper way.

"There ain't no way I'm gonna forget what today is, Mush, no Newsie can." I replied putting my ever present cigar in my mouth.

*STRIKE1899!*

They were thought of as nuisances by many; others just ignored them. Until they stood tall and shouted, for all the world to hear, that they would stop the presses and they did! They were proud and defiant and slayed the Giants. They let the world know that they will seize the day and that they wanted their rights. They seized the day and let the world know that they, the Newsboys of New York, would not take the unfair treatment they were given they stood tall and defiant and brought the New York World and Journal to their knees. Their victory was won and today we can draw courage and inspiration from these brave little fighters. It is my wish that they never be forgotten! Not a single one!

To all of my fellow Newsie fans have a happy strike anniversary and may their courage inspire you all to seize the day.


End file.
